Hypnotherapy, Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) and Counselling

Hypnotherapy is often referred to as the fast track therapy as it gets you the results you want in the shortest time. Hypnotherapy harnesses the power of your subconscious mind to eliminate limiting beliefs and obstacles to success. It is used successfully to stop habits like smoking, improve your confidence, reduce stress and anxiety, improve health, relieve pain or achieve a personal goal. Counselling and psychotherapy provide a supportive environment which allows you to go at your own pace, as you explore your inner world and find your own solutions. Used together they are a powerful tool to successfully make lasting changes that improve your quality of life.

Hypnotherapy in a nutshell

Thoughts produce feelings which are transmitted to the body, thus creating a physical experience and a connected belief in the mind, which when repeated over time form a habit, characteristic or attitude. Our experiences, attitudes and beliefs directly influence our behaviour every day, contributing to our success or failure.

Heather Greer is a qualified and experienced Clinical hypnotherapist and counsellor who will help you make those lasting changes you desire to live your life to its fullest potential.

All our firmly held beliefs where once a new idea, doubted and treated with suspicion. I believe everyone is capable of change, at any point in their life. Our mind affects all aspects of the body whether we believe it or not. The mind modulates biochemical functions within the cells of all the major organs, systems and tissues of the body via the autonomic nervous system. In the law of harmonious attraction anything is possible, so what the mind can conceive the body believes

Mindfulness-based Core Process Psychotherapy

Mindfulness allows the client and therapist to be open and fully present with moment to moment experience in an atmosphere of curiosity, and acceptance. Exploring the core processes (thinking, feeling, and moving, internal and external sensing) allows us to discover the core material that shapes our lives. Core process therapy is a powerful tool for transformation. Through movement, breath, sound, imagination, we can change beliefs and behaviour that hold us back.

In Mindfulness based psychotherapy we believe:-

  • We are all connected to each other and a higher vibration of consciousness.
  • Non violence is an essential component of therapy. The therapist must put aside her own agenda to support the client’s process.
  • The human body/mind is a self organising system programmed to balance itself and heal itself.
  • The client knows what he/she needs and has all the answers. The therapist assists to uncover this internal wisdom and supports the process of self discovery.

Mindfulness-based Psychotherapy is often used for anxiety and depression, trauma, grief and loss, personal development, anger, chronic pain and addictions

Natural Fertility

How stress affects conception
When we are under stress, our body releases hormones including adrenaline and cortisol as if we were truly in danger and in need of the fight or flight response. A continued flush of stress hormones tells our body “this is not a safe time to create a baby”. Cortisol has a direct impact on our reproductive system; if the stress response is activated often the body has little time to return to normal, resulting in continued and prolonged levels of cortisol associated with chronic stress. Chronic stress has been shown to:

  • Impair cognitive function
  • Suppress thyroid function
  • Cause blood sugar level imbalances
  • Decrees bone density
  • Increase blood pressure
  • Suppress immunity and inflammatory response
  • Suppress or delay ovulation
  • Interfere with implantation of fertilised ovum
  • Reduce sperm count

Hypnosis, NLP and counselling will support you and your partner through your journey into parenthood and assist you to reduce your stress levels. Hypnosis can help you remove blockages and beliefs that hold you back. What the mind can perceive the body believes. Using NLP techniques that help you move towards your goal of parenthood. Relaxation and visualisation will assist with physical and emotional problems which stop you conceiving, and carrying and birthing a healthy baby.

Natural Birthing

Hypnotherapy can assist you to have a natural birth by harnessing the power of your mind. Learn to eliminate the fear-tension-pain syndrome, a downward spiral that often leads to medical complications and intervention. Using hypnotherapy will help you feel more confident and calmer as you prepare yourself for the best possible birth experience. We will teach you birthing skills and hypnosis to help you feel more confident, empowered and equipped for birth. You will learn breathing techniques and self hypnosis skills to ensure you feel calm and confident through the birthing process. Our women report how they felt in control, centred and calm during their labour. Research shows hypnotherapy increases the possibility of a natural drug free, uncomplicated natural birth, that’s why hypnotherapy is endorsed by obstetricians and midwives worldwide. You too can feel the joy and fulfilment of a successful birth, which will speed your recovery and assist with bonding. Prepare yourself now by discussing your options and desires for a natural easy birth.

Smoking Cessation

Hypnotherapy will help you quit smoking or other habits quickly and more easily than you ever imagined. In one session you will be nicotine free and on your way to becoming a non smoker for the rest of your life, completing treatment in just 3-6 sessions. Making the change is stress free, and will ensure success in a positive fun way. Imagine how much your life is improved without a smoking habit, you have more energy, more money, more time, and better health than before. We can help you make these positive changes quickly and easily, so you can start feeling good about yourself straight away. Book now to discuss how we make lasting changes and improvements to your life, quickly and easily, without stress.

Cancer Care

Living with a Cancer diagnosis is stressful whether you are in the treatment phase; in recovery or have been successfully cured. Counselling will help patients and carers cope with what is happening, and hypnosis will teach relaxation and visualisation skills for stress reduction and pain management. Mindfulness based core process psychotherapy uses awareness of your mind to connect with your body in a new way, to assist you through the process. Hypnotherapy visualisation and relaxation can assist you with fear and anxiety, sleep problems, treatment compliance, speed recovery from procedures or surgery, and whole body healing. Help yourself to move forward and start living the life you want now.

Stress, anxiety and health issues

Experts agree that many western health problems are related to stress. By reducing stress you can improve sleep, lower blood pressure, increase energy, balance and stabilise the body and mind to improve chronic health issues. Clinical Hypnotherapy is supported by the medical profession to offer a gentle yet powerful solution to improve your health and wellbeing. Learn skills to reduce and manage stress for long term health improvement.

Personal growth and development

Do you want more confidence, greater understanding and awareness? Find out more about yourself to improve your life, achieve goals, be more successful and live the life you want. Discover the root cause or underlying issues that limit your success in a supportive environment. Remove obstacles to fulfilling your desires and living the life you dream of. Using a step by step approach to improve your life, so you feel happier, more confident and empowered to live your life’s purpose now and long into the future.

FAQ

WHAT IS HYPNOTHERAPY?
Hypnosis is natural state of mind. Everyone has experienced hypnosis. For instance, you may be watching TV perhaps a program you have seen many times and you find yourself very engrossed in it. Daydreaming is also a hypnotic state. In this state our minds are more open so therapy becomes more effective.

WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE TO BE HYPNOTIZED?
Hypnosis is a very pleasant feeling of complete physical and mental relaxation. It is similar to that moment between knowing you are awake and going into the sleep state. You certainly will not be asleep or unconscious; you never lose awareness during hypnosis. When you are hypnotized, you continue to be aware of your surroundings.

IS HYPNOTHERAPY SAFE?
Hypnosis is safe when a competent and qualified Clinical Hypnotherapist practices it. Check if your therapist is registered with a national association. Your therapist will take a comprehensive assessment as some psychological and psychiatric complaints are incompatible with hypnotherapy techniques.

DO PEOPLE HAVE TROUBLE COMING OUT OF HYPNOSIS?
A person may choose to stay in hypnosis after an experienced hypnotist asks them to come out of it. The reason being, it is such a relaxed feeling of enjoyment, they prefer to stay there awhile longer. The person may go to sleep, and awakes as usual. In self-hypnosis you have complete control, and set your own time limit. There has never been a documented case of someone unable to come out of hypnosis.

HOW DOES HYPNOTHERAPY WORK?
Our mind modulates the biochemical functions within the cells of all the major organ systems and tissues of the body via the autonomic nervous system.

Most of us are familiar with the mind triggering a physiological response such as hearing a police siren when driving slightly too fast, or mistaking a stick for a snake. Perhaps you have a fear or phobia which can be triggered by a memory or thought.
This is how it works- our emotional brain (limbic system) records and stores every experience from the womb through to adulthood either consciously or subconsciously. Family patterns and life experience positive or negative affect how we think, feel and respond now. Emotional responses are transmitted to the hypothalamus via the limbic system. The hypothalamus then mediates the signals to the autonomic nervous system via biochemical and electrical messages which are released into the bloodstream and transmitted to the body.
Mind body interactions are circular in nature-each element affecting the other in both directions. The lower brain stem control centres, which serve as relay stations of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems regulate our responses (fight or flight). This network of communication can increase blood pressure, control body temperature, regulate blood flow, increase or decrease salivation and gastrointestinal activity, cause bladder emptying and sexual orgasm. Therefore all organs can respond psychosomatically. Neuron pathways are created in the brain determined by emotional responses to life events and we develop learned patterns of behaviour which we continually re enact. These patterns are held in memory; firmly held patterns create habits, and beliefs.

Yet all firmly held beliefs where once a new idea, and doubtable. Therefore all neuron pathways can be changed. Change your mind and change your bodily response.
In a nutshell:
Thoughts produce feelings which create a belief in the mind, which when repeated forms a habit or  attitude, this directly influences our behaviour contributing to our success or failure.

WHO CAN BE HYPNOTIZED?
Everyone can be hypnotized provided that they want to be. As long as they have an open mind, reasonable intelligence and is able to concentrate. Even people with short attention spans can be hypnotized but the procedure requires special skills on the part of the hypnotist.

WHAT IS SELF-HYPNOSIS?
Techniques exist by which one can attain a state of self hypnosis and gain complete relaxation under the most stressful conditions. In this state the subconscious mind is open to therapeutic suggestions.

WHAT IS THE SUBCONSCIOUS MIND?
The conscious mind, the mind you are conscious of, is your "ME". It is the critical part of your mind. The subconscious mind is the one that directs your conduct through the habits and emotional desires acquired from the influences of your environment, before you were old enough to reject harmful ideas and concepts.

WHAT IS AUTO SUGGESTION?
Through proper use of auto suggestion you reprogram the subconscious mind to make decisions favourable to your welfare. The new suggestions help in overcoming unwanted habits, a lack of concentration and any other unhealthy attitudes that doom you to failure.

DOES HYPNOSIS WEAKEN THE WILL?
No. Self hypnosis strengthens the mind and the will.

CAN A PERSON BE HYPNOTIZED AGAINST THEIR WILL?
No one is hypnotized against their will. The hypnotherapist merely assists the subject, to hypnotize himself.

WHAT CAN SELF-HYPNOSIS DO FOR ME?
Anything you want it to! Instant learning and photographic memory systems are based on self-hypnosis. Champions in various sports use it to improve their game concentration. You can now learn to overcome undesirable habits, such as smoking, over-eating or drinking with self-hypnosis. You regain self confidence. You now know that success is within easy reach, and erasing harmful emotions leads to a happier and healthier life.

HOW DOES SELF-HYPNOSIS (OR LISTENING TO A RECODING) DIFFER FROM HYPNOTISM BY A TRAINED CLINICAL HYPNOTIST?
In self-hypnosis YOU choose your own time limits, realizing that you have a choice and can now choose your area for self improvement. Using a hypnotist to train you in self hypnosis is of great benefit as it speeds up the retraining process. Recordings can be useful to supplement a clinical hypnotherapy session however unless personalised they rarely fit the client’s needs and frequently fail.

WILL YOU MAKE ME DANCE LIKE A CHICKEN?
Clinical Hypnosis as used by Doctor’s psychologists and psychotherapists is a therapeutic healing or investigative process. The client's welfare is the sole focus of the procedure and the work is geared towards helping the client. Stage hypnosis bears no resemblance to clinical hypnotherapy. It is a show where people perform acts that are used to entertain an audience.

WILL I REMEMBER ANYTHING AFTER THE SESSION IS OVER?
You may remember everything or just some things. Usually, you will remember only what you are ready to remember. You may be asked to describe images or sensations or sounds as they come to you. You will be encouraged to avoid explaining or making any sense out of these impressions.
Sometimes after the session is over and in the days to come, images or memories will surface spontaneously to your awareness.

WHAT IF I DO NOT COME OUT OF HYPNOSIS?
Everyone comes out of hypnosis. Remember that you went into hypnosis willingly. So, just as you decided to go into hypnosis, by the same token, you will decide to come out of it. There are, on few occasions, some people who enjoy it so much that they resist coming out. But all experienced and well-trained hypnotists have knowledge of many different ways to bring the person around. Since the hypnotist keeps the person under hypnosis, with the person’s realization that the hypnotist’s voice is no longer heard, the person will return to the present. I have been asked: what happens if anything happens to me during this period? After a while, the client will drift off into a natural sleep and reawaken.

CAN I BRING A FRIEND WITH ME?
Yes, you can bring anyone with you if you need the reassurance and if that makes you comfortable. However, you need to understand that, should your therapist suggest that it is best for you to be alone, you must respect his/her recommendation and have him/her clarify that decision. Keep in mind that you are in control and feel free to have your request heard.

WHAT IF I CAN NOT GO DEEPLY ENOUGH?
A light hypnotic state may be sufficient to accomplish the goals of the session. Most people can achieve a trance deep enough to allow for the process.

HOW DOES HYPNOSIS DIFFER FROM SLEEP, MEDITATION OR GUIDED IMAGERY?
Hypnosis is best described as an altered state of consciousness, a changed state of awareness, concentration and perception. During the experience of hypnosis, the person remains in complete control and should they ever feel uncomfortable because of the experience, they can always reopen their eyes and terminate the intervention. Everyone at some point or another has experienced hypnosis. One experiences hypnosis when one misses an exit while driving or when one is so engrossed watching TV or reading a book that even a person talking will nor distract one from one’s activities.
Although some hypnotists use the word sleep as a suggestion to enter deep relaxation, hypnosis is not sleep. Sleep is defined as a "natural periodic suspension of consciousness during which the powers of the body are restored." During sleep, the individual is not aware of what is happening.
Meditation involves focusing one’s thoughts, engaging oneself in inner contemplation or reflection. Meditation techniques vary, but what most of them have in common is the relief of suffering and the promotion of healing.

It is generally known that there are four different kinds of meditation. One is based on body control in order to unite body and mind as in Yoga. A second technique of meditation is based on control of the mind and requires concentration, contemplation and visualization. Concentration is accomplished by focusing on an object. Contemplation is achieved through continuous repetition of a word or a syllable. A third approach to meditation is based on letting go of the body, using techniques to achieve relaxation of muscle tensions. The fourth meditative technique focuses on letting go of the mind. The mind remains open to whatever enters it thus obtaining insight.
There is a fine line between meditation and hypnosis. Meditation and self-hypnosis can be induced in similar ways. Both techniques may begin by the person being asked to stare at a certain point, breathe in a prescribed way or listen to chants or rhythms. Meditation has been most effective in changing behaviour.

Guided Imagery is the use of mental images to bring about changes usually related to health problems.

All the above techniques share relaxation as part of the procedure, but that is where the similarities end.